This invention relates to an oil drain arrangement for internal combustion engines and more particularly to an improved arrangement for handling oil leakage in an internal combustion engine.
With overhead valve internal combustion engines, the valves are supported within the cylinder head and some form of actuating mechanism is carried by the cylinder head for operating the valves. If the engine is of the overhead camshaft type, this operating mechanism will include the camshafts. Because of the high loading on the valve train, it is the normal practice to provide copious amounts of lubrication for the valve actuating mechanism and compoents of the valves themselves. Thus, there is a large degree of oil present in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine having overhead valves at all times. Normally, it is the practice to provide some cover that encloses the valve and valve actuating mechanism of the cylinder head. There is, of course, a seal provided between the cover and the cylinder head. Frequently, however, it is necessary to remove the cover for servicing. Oftentimes, the level of the lubricant in the cylinder head is above the sealing surface and when the cover is removed lubricant is likely to spill from the cylinder head onto other components of the engine. This not only causes an unsightly appearance but can cause smoking and other disturbing consequences when the engine is subsequently run. These problems are particularly acute when the cylinder head and engine are installed in the vehicle in an inclined manner. Such inclination can result with V type engines or with inline engines that are not mounted in a vertical position.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved drainage arrangement for internal combustion engines.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved system for an internal combustion engine wherein leakage oil is contained and may not run down onto other components of the engine.
It is a yet further object of this invention to provide an oil draining system for draining and collecting leakage oil from an engine and specifically from its cylinder head area.